The Anglican-Methodist Covenant : What can we do?

A guide to applying Canon B43 in the context of the Anglican-Methodist Covenant, for Church of England ministers and church councils

"We commit ourselves to encourage forms of Eucharistic sharing, including Eucharistic hospitality, in accordance with the rules of our respective churches", is one of the commitments of the Anglican-Methodist Covenant agreed by the two churches in 2003.

We encourage you to work together with your Methodist counterparts, while keeping in line with the current rules of both churches.

Your parish wants to take the Anglican-Methodist covenant seriously, and to build closer relationships with your local Methodist circuit. What do you do now?

Get to know your local Methodists

This is the starting point. The rest of this leaflet assumes you already know which circuit your parish (or benefice) is in, and already know the minister(s) with pastoral charge for any Methodist churches in your parish. It is good to get to know local stewards, and circuit stewards.

Ideally your congregations will be getting to know each other – this may be through joint work to support Christian Aid, churches together shared services, joint service of your community.

Share in non-eucharistic worship

You can already invite your local Methodist ministers (presbyters and deacons) and Local Preachers to preach or lead worship in an Anglican church on an occasional basis. If you want to invite them to do this more regularly, you should ask permission from your bishop.

If you are invited to lead worship or preach at the Methodist Church regularly, the Methodist Circuit can ask the Methodist Conference (via the District) to grant 'Authorised Minister'status to ordained members of the Church of England.

Share in Communion services

In the Church of England

The incumbent and the P.C.C. need to discuss if they would like a Methodist minister to lead a communion service in the Church of England building. If they agree, they then need to ask the bishop for permission. In the light of the Anglican-Methodist covenant this is likely to be given. The service when it happens will be a 'Methodist'service, held in the Church of England building, even is Common Worship is used, and needs to be advertised as such.

In theMethodistChurch

Similarly the Methodist circuit may invite a Church of England minister to lead a service of Communion in theMethodistChurch. The C of E minister must ask for permission from the bishop, which will usually be given in the light of the Anglican/Methodist Covenant. The service will be a Church of England service, even if the minister uses Methodist Worship as the service book.

It will be clear from this that the denomination of the minister is what makes the rite denominational. However, the service will seem to the congregation the same as the usual service.

Swap communion services

Why not get permission for the Methodist minister to lead a Methodist service in your Anglican Church and encourage them to use their own service book? It will be a little different from Common worship, but will also show how close together we are in so many ways.

Baptisms, weddings and funerals.

A Methodist minister may already assist at a baptism, wedding or funeral at the request of the family. However, if the minister actually leads and administers Holy Baptism, it will be a Methodist Baptism, and needs to be in the local Methodist register, rather than the Church of England register – again the minister makes the rite.

The current law of the land prevents a Methodist minister actually being the legal leader of a Wedding in the Church of England, but there is much of the service which they may lead – including preaching and prayers. At a Church of England Wedding the blessing of the couple also needs to be said by a Church of England priest.

So give it a go and explore what we can do together. If you want any more advice contact your local Ecumenical Officer – details are in the Diocesan Year Book